Macbook Pro...whines, humms, overheating, oh my!

Mark Sloan · June 26th, 2006, 02:52 PM

Run Software Update from the Apple Menu and it will download the patch. I just got a refurbbed 2.0 GHz Macbook and haven't had any problems with whine or too much heat. Well, compared to my old Lombard all metal Mac laptops have been waaaaaay too hot. I personally would trade a 1/4 inch of thickness for better ventalation or whatever!

On the plus side, it came with 2GB of RAM instead of just 1GB! Refurbbed rocks! ;-)

Carl Martin · June 26th, 2006, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Sloan

Run Software Update from the Apple Menu and it will download the patch. I just got a refurbbed 2.0 GHz Macbook and haven't had any problems with whine or too much heat. Well, compared to my old Lombard all metal Mac laptops have been waaaaaay too hot. I personally would trade a 1/4 inch of thickness for better ventalation or whatever!

On the plus side, it came with 2GB of RAM instead of just 1GB! Refurbbed rocks! ;-)

I guess the patch is already installed because it says everything is up to date.

Thanks.

Alex Filacchione · July 18th, 2006, 01:40 PM

I just bought a new MacBook Pro this past weekend.

Mine barely gets hot at all. It gets hot on the bottom of the laptop itself, but that is typical for laptops. It certainly doesn't get any hotter than my wife's Dell, and my wife's Dell has one of those vacuum cleaner sounding fans running on hers a LOT. Mine is quiet.

Now the area between the screen & keyboard does get a little warm, but it is certainly not TOO warm. I can press my fingers on there and hold them there and it does not even get uncomfortable.

These heat issues have been resolved by Apple via 2 methods:

1) FW/OS updates - basically they are turning on the fan more often to help cool it down.

2) Logic Board upgrades. Apple is I believe currently on Rev. E. You'll see lots of stuff on "Rev. D" boards, but the Rev. E boards aren't even "named" yet. Basically those folks sending theirs in for repairs are getting them back with the new Logic Boards installed, and a new set of disks shipped to them (10.4.5 apparently won't work on the new logic boards, you must have 10.4.6 or better). Most of the people in the Apple Stores are completely unaware of this (or anything beyond Rev. D boards, if they even know about that). The new Logic Boards (I am calling them Rev. E) are brand new. Apple only starting putting them in new and returned for service machines at the end of June, so these new MLBs are barely 3 weeks old.

When I got mine I told the guy at the apple store that I wanted the glossy screen MBP with the highest serial number (or whatever it is) that they have in stock

I told him at LEAST W8611xxxx if not higher. I got one that is W8623xxxx (first they brought out a matte that started with w8624xxxxx).

Anyway, mine came with 10.4.6 install disks and NOT 10.4.5 install disks. I assume that it must have the new Logic board because I have NONE of the problems that others have mentioned (heat other than normal laptop heat, screen flickering, whinning noises, fan constantly on, etc.).

I would reccomend that you actually go to an Apple Store if that is an option where you live and do what I did and get the one with the highest W86 number on the box!

Alex F

Scott Shama · July 18th, 2006, 05:03 PM

I recently boght my MBP as well and I have no problems (so far) with it. It gets warm like the previous poster said but that's it. It's certainly not hotter than my friends 15" 1Ghz powerbook. Overall I'm thrilled with it. A little off topic...I'm also running it with the Firmtek sata card and the 2 bay enclosure with sata2 drives (3gbps I think?) and it's awesome. I can edit hdv no problem on this thing.

Cheers,
Scott

Duane Smith · July 23rd, 2006, 02:05 PM

I bought a 15" MBP in early June, but was too busy to even open it up and set the thing up for two weeks. When I finally got around to turning it on and setting it up, I noticed that it was unbearably HOT and had a hideous whinning noise. Then on the second day, after about 12 hours of total use, the machine crapped out completely. DEAD. No power at all.

I took it to the Apple store, but it was 16 days old, and thier "swap it out" deal is only good for 14 days. But they sent it in for repair, and a couple days later it returned with a brand-new logic board ($850-ish part, thankfully fixed under warranty). The new board solved all the problems. It's now rock solid, doesn't whine at all, and runs cooler (although it's still fairly warm). It's a great little computer.

I'm actually GLAD that it died; the new logic board was a vast improvment. :-)

June 26th, 2006, 02:52 PM	#16
Mark Sloan Major Player Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 346	Run Software Update from the Apple Menu and it will download the patch. I just got a refurbbed 2.0 GHz Macbook and haven't had any problems with whine or too much heat. Well, compared to my old Lombard all metal Mac laptops have been waaaaaay too hot. I personally would trade a 1/4 inch of thickness for better ventalation or whatever! On the plus side, it came with 2GB of RAM instead of just 1GB! Refurbbed rocks! ;-)

July 18th, 2006, 01:40 PM	#18
Alex Filacchione Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 129	I just bought a new MacBook Pro this past weekend. Mine barely gets hot at all. It gets hot on the bottom of the laptop itself, but that is typical for laptops. It certainly doesn't get any hotter than my wife's Dell, and my wife's Dell has one of those vacuum cleaner sounding fans running on hers a LOT. Mine is quiet. Now the area between the screen & keyboard does get a little warm, but it is certainly not TOO warm. I can press my fingers on there and hold them there and it does not even get uncomfortable. These heat issues have been resolved by Apple via 2 methods: 1) FW/OS updates - basically they are turning on the fan more often to help cool it down. 2) Logic Board upgrades. Apple is I believe currently on Rev. E. You'll see lots of stuff on "Rev. D" boards, but the Rev. E boards aren't even "named" yet. Basically those folks sending theirs in for repairs are getting them back with the new Logic Boards installed, and a new set of disks shipped to them (10.4.5 apparently won't work on the new logic boards, you must have 10.4.6 or better). Most of the people in the Apple Stores are completely unaware of this (or anything beyond Rev. D boards, if they even know about that). The new Logic Boards (I am calling them Rev. E) are brand new. Apple only starting putting them in new and returned for service machines at the end of June, so these new MLBs are barely 3 weeks old. When I got mine I told the guy at the apple store that I wanted the glossy screen MBP with the highest serial number (or whatever it is) that they have in stock I told him at LEAST W8611xxxx if not higher. I got one that is W8623xxxx (first they brought out a matte that started with w8624xxxxx). Anyway, mine came with 10.4.6 install disks and NOT 10.4.5 install disks. I assume that it must have the new Logic board because I have NONE of the problems that others have mentioned (heat other than normal laptop heat, screen flickering, whinning noises, fan constantly on, etc.). I would reccomend that you actually go to an Apple Store if that is an option where you live and do what I did and get the one with the highest W86 number on the box! Alex F

July 18th, 2006, 05:03 PM	#19
Scott Shama Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton, Oregon Posts: 399	I recently boght my MBP as well and I have no problems (so far) with it. It gets warm like the previous poster said but that's it. It's certainly not hotter than my friends 15" 1Ghz powerbook. Overall I'm thrilled with it. A little off topic...I'm also running it with the Firmtek sata card and the 2 bay enclosure with sata2 drives (3gbps I think?) and it's awesome. I can edit hdv no problem on this thing. Cheers, Scott

July 23rd, 2006, 02:05 PM	#20
Duane Smith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 234	I bought a 15" MBP in early June, but was too busy to even open it up and set the thing up for two weeks. When I finally got around to turning it on and setting it up, I noticed that it was unbearably HOT and had a hideous whinning noise. Then on the second day, after about 12 hours of total use, the machine crapped out completely. DEAD. No power at all. I took it to the Apple store, but it was 16 days old, and thier "swap it out" deal is only good for 14 days. But they sent it in for repair, and a couple days later it returned with a brand-new logic board ($850-ish part, thankfully fixed under warranty). The new board solved all the problems. It's now rock solid, doesn't whine at all, and runs cooler (although it's still fairly warm). It's a great little computer. I'm actually GLAD that it died; the new logic board was a vast improvment. :-)